These Pages
by Cowardly-fangirl
Summary: Ill fate befalls Feliciano and Lovino Vargas. These two binary opposites are cast into a world unlike their own. It is a world which fears the unknown; a world which fears them. Down they fall into a dilemma of such a magnitude, that one of them may well be killed.
1. Chapter 1

His heart was made of opaque, frail glass yet constantly, he spent hours rebuilding it. Shards were collected and sliced his hands; glass was melted and reshaped yet warped horribly. Despite his efforts, his glass heart remained the same. The maintenance work was repetitive and exhausting for the kind young boy but would not bleach the crimson hue which stained glass with tragedy. This little boy was not in fact young. By standard, human deviation he was classed as a young adult- a childish, foolishly optimistic adult at that. His perspective was flawed for he viewed life- and this story- as a sweet, yet immensely alarming memory despite the cruel truth. No, this story was not one of love and joy but one of life- flavoured with the saccharine flavour of misguided hope, the tartness of loss and the salty sting of grief which spoiled the recipe.

Life was simply a marvel, awaiting its encasement on the pages of his sketchbook and art acted as a means of preservation. In every sense of the word, Feliciano Vargas was an artist. He lived worlds away- in the midst of his imaginative mind and bathed in the glorious rays of escapism.  
There he sat, in the sweltering heat, tenderly gripping his trustworthy pencil, replicating his observations directly onto the thick, yellow pages of his diary. His amber eyes focused intently on the lone rabbit, whose grey fur seemed to glimmer in the sun's glare. The air was unbearably stuffy and felt almost unfittingly uncomfortable when compared to the picturesque expanse of land which he dwelt. He momentarily averted his gaze from the small animal to his detailed annotated sketch. He was yet to master the art botanic and animal still life. Woe had momentarily clouded his mind when the thought of his art was overshadowed by the impending worry of unworthiness. As if the rabbit had felt his sadness, it hopped away casually, much to Feliciano's chagrin. As though the rabbit had carried away his negativity, Feliciano felt his misery fade away into oblivion. Disappointed at the grey rabbit's disappearance, Feliciano sighed and flopped onto the slightly rough grass. He lived for moments like these. Small slots of time where the sweltering heat was not as unbearable and when his worries would fade away. The warm sunlight coaxed him into a trance somewhere between consciousness and the shaded lull of unconsciousness. His breathes became even and a thin veil of darkness was placed before his eyes. The universal law follows: joy is ephemeral.  
A cacophonic screech filled the peaceful meadow.  
It was neither automated nor naturalistic, but inexplicably ill placed in Feliciano's sanctuary.

Jolted awake, he shot to action. Hastily, he returned his items to the worn leather satchel which lay to his left and retreated at a pace which rivalled the grey furred rabbit. Now, in his panic stuck state, Feliciano tripped on his carelessly untied shoelaces and fell ungraciously toward the golden tufts of grass with a loud thud. As though he had omnipotent abilities, his unceremonious fall prompted the immediate silencing of the horrid screech which had momentarily penetrated the air. Ignoring the stinging sensation in the palm of his hand, Feliciano inhaled deeply and willed his erratic heartbeats to still. A cool breeze from the west cooled his panting figure as he stood in the golden, sun bleached meadow- appearing miniscule in the infinite stretch of land. Overcome with exhaustion from his sprint, Feliciano resolved to return to his grandfather's property.

The crunch of the grass below his untied shoes pleasantly distracted Feliciano from the nagging curiosity which had clawed into his mind. The curiosity stemmed from a simple question: What had caused such a noise?  
The setting had finally returned to its quiet manner when the unmistakable sound of a child reverberated across the expanse of land. It was bloodcurdling and chilled him to the bone despite the unbearably hot weather. The child's high pitched, fearful voice barely reached Feliciano's ears as he halted in hesitation.  
Another scream snapped out of his idleness. The generally passive man adjusted his satchel and sprinted toward the distressing happenings- endless, horrifying possibilities plaguing his mind.

Feliciano disregarded the blur of colours which hounded his eyesight as he searched for the whereabouts of the children. He had left the lush green tones of the rabbit's meadow in favour of the muddy dense congregation of emerald green shrubs and canopies. It didn't bother him the slightest as he searched franticly.  
"Help me!" Screeched a voice from a crowd of nearby shrubs, prompting Feliciano to sharply change directions and charge into the dense mass of leaves, branches and bushes. Momentarily blinded by the overhead branched above and around him, Feliciano shut his eyes and stumbled forward. It was indeed a surprise when his stomach suddenly lurched and he fell downward. Alarmed, he opened his eyes to find no ground to break his fall. A dreadful scream filled the air. It was deafeningly high and undoubtedly that of a child- the very child which he had searched for. Despite the immense velocity which he fell, Feliciano managed to search for the owner of the screeches. Finally adjusting to the relentless blast of air which seemed to buffet him, Feliciano caught sight of _two _children. One of which a boy whist the other was a petite girl. The female child wore strange antique garments which employed a moss green hue and was embellished with cream stitching. She also wore a large apron which hung off her falling frame and mysteriously, she wore a Venetian mask of gold and cream. Through the mask, it was obvious that she wept tears of inconsolable horror as she fell. She was accompanied by a boy clad in black garments who wore an expression of barely concealed fright. The young boy's thin lips were contorted into a large frown as he stared upward, unaware of Feliciano's presence. From the young man's position, it was clear that the boy too, wore a Venetian mask of black and gold. The young'un's clothes seemed military esque and reminded Feliciano of the Napoleonic era of anarchy. The boy's cropped, gold hair flew wildly in the wind and his suspicious cape flew behind his miniscule frame. Obviously pushing away any fear, the young fellow clasped the brunette girl's hand for dear life and smiled pleasantly for her in a feeble attempt to cheer up the petrified girl.

Feliciano swallowed the lump which stubbornly weighed in his throat and called out to the quaint duo. The two children still appeared unaware of Feliciano's presence even when the young artist called out in English, much to the young fellow's aggravation. The air chilled his face and his satchel acted as an anchor and the poor brunette was moments from resigning himself to tears. The gusts of wind made it hard to breath and he knew that survival was unlikely for him in his fall. He pleadingly stared upward for a last moment when he was startled by a pair of blue and hazel eyes which bored into his skull. The two children were silent as they stared at him unnervingly. Shrinking in size, Feliciano meekly attempted to smile, only for the sheer force of the wind to distort it. After a moment of silence filled by the howling winds, the children smiled at Feliciano before disappearing in an unconventional flash of gold.

Dumbstruck, the young man watched in grim horror as the light faded. Fear metastasised through his body as he was left alone, due to fall to his death. Sudden grief overcame him yet the tears would not fall as the reality of the predicament hit him. He could do nothing more but close his eyes and pray for salvation.

* * *

His body ached horribly and his previously crisply clean clothes were damp. More importantly, he was no longer in the welcoming confines of his grandfather's house or in the beautiful meadow just beyond the rural town near his old residence. Feliciano stared at the canopy of varying greens which barely concealed the washed out blue skies above. The events which led up to his dilemma flooded back to him and he couldn't help but wonder if he had died.

Of course, such a notion was quite stupid considering his poor condition.  
His attempts to sit upright proved futile for he was wracked with pain. Knowing well the danger which posed a threat to his feeble self, the young man physically hauled himself upright with the little strength he had. He leaned heavily on a nearby stump after uncovering the guilty party behind his backache: his satchel. After a moment, he discovered that his aches were an indication of usage. Leaning heavily on nearby branches, the hobbled forward, determined to walk. Thus began the arduous process of relearning.

By the time his surroundings were glossed with the orange tint of sunset, the young man had a new collection of bruises but had remastered the art of walking. Overjoyed at his achievement, Feliciano thanked god for his successful endeavours.

Joy was short lived.

The night had swept away the sunlight like a veil and left Feliciano scared once more. Constantly, the horrifying hoot of an owl or the howl of wolves jolted Feliciano into a state of super-awareness. Hunger gnawed away at his spirit and his still damp clothes made his form shiver. Silence soon ascended upon the forest, leaving Feliciano terrified more so. It was the snap of a twig which filled him with renewed apprehension as he cowered on the foliage covered, damp forest floor.

The crunch of twigs became louder and louder as Feliciano was approached. His guts went cold and he felt panic overtake rationality. He shrunk and huddled against the cover of the stump where he camped. His teeth chattered and his breaths were uneven and loud, gaining much unwanted attention. "Who's there?" The petrified man questioned, voice cracking. The slow pace of his offender soon progressed into a sprint in return. Feliciano yelped in horror and deliriously bellowed "Do-don't hurt me!"  
His throat constricted and he shut his eyes in an attempt to filter out the danger. Fear induced tears poured from his features as he prayed to die painlessly.

The collision was much too soon.  
As for Feliciano, he was silenced.

Stillness fell.

* * *

-End.

Hello and thank you reading the first chapter of These Pages.

This began as a small side-project and has evolved into a fully fledged project. I hope that the writing style is to your liking and that my characterization is proper.

**General Information:**

This chapter has been altered from it's original manuscript and I honestly hope that this version is better. Anyway, it is a formality to introduce this project so I shall. This story shall be based on Feliciano and Lovino and shall follow their journey. Thus far, I have included some of the Nyotalia characters who are separate entities to their male counterparts. As of now, this is all that comes to mind. If there is more information, I shall inform you in the next (re-written) chapter. Again, thank you for reading this!

-Drew


	2. Chapter 2

As it was previously established, Feliciano had impulsively followed in pursuit of the children. It was during this exact moment, when Feliciano's elder sibling, Lovino had finished his chores. Lovino was a cantankerous young man who seemed exasperated during every waking moment. He was perchance to a rose: A marvel to the eyes- strikingly handsome yet, containing thorns which would acted as a defence mechanism against insincere relationships. The piercing defence was created as tragedy prompted evolution. He was not a bad person. The injustice of life had simply made him a cautious- not necessarily bitter- child. In fact, Lovino had the capacity to love more than his cheerful younger siblings, when his trust was earned. Lovino had spent the afternoon completing tasks around his grandfather's house whist grumbling about the physical exertion involved. In this tale, small, naïve Lovino began his story during this banal moment.

There he stood his vast knowledge of profanity perfectly visible as he swept a pile of dirt into the bin. He was irritated at Feliciano who had managed to charm his way out of work, leaving him with the overwhelming workload. Whist he positively _adored _his family, they often left him with the short end of the stick. Whist it was his filial obligation as a grandson to help his grandfather, it got tiresome. Lovino couldn't blame little Lucca who was often too busy completing tasks for others. Whist his youngest brother's actions were justifiable, Feliciano was simply lazy. He didn't know where to begin when describing his ditsy, artistic, kind brother or his equally charming, sneaky youngest sibling. I must confess, Lovino was ever so slightly jealous because, in his undiagnosed but undeniable depression, he viewed Feliciano and Lucca as the better of the three whist he resigned himself to the title of worthless. Now, Lovino was too stubborn to realise the abnormality of his thoughts. It had not once struck the foolish boy that it was not common for somebody to hear the constant taunts of a silent voice, the degrading statements of misery or the phantom whispers of not-so-true-truths. In fact, he simply branded his negative outlook as a punishment for constant failure. Now, depression is something which, like cigarette smoke, destroys you from the inside and reveals its existence only when death finally had a definitive grasp on your life. This very ailment- curse if you may, had crushed poor Lovino's ability to feel complete ease. Anyway, our young character had the capacity to feel happiness but at that moment, he simply felt the sting of irritation blossom into metaphoric pain. Of course, Lovino had realised that anger was futile for Feliciano was able to avoid work better than any other.

He practically hurled the broom into their cleaning storage closet before leaving to the haven of the outdoors where he would often leave his anger to cool. If there was one thing which Lovino had cherished in life, it was the enchanting sensation of the sunlight on his back. It was something which comforted him- a feeling which coaxed out his sadness and anger accumulated from the day and perished it with warmth. He knew it was stupid but, Lovino believed that these small things in life were a gift- not from god, by from the deceased. At that moment, those profound thoughts were far from his mind. He simply focused on the sensation of warmth- he saw it as a hug from his mother, after all.

It was the snap of a twig had robbed him off his bliss. His eyes had snapped opened and the inner peace which he had momentarily grasped disappeared with haste. His thin eyebrows creased in renewed irritation. "Hey! Who's there?" He had yelled out, silently praying that is wasn't anyone too intimidating- he was irritated, not provoked or stupid. His question was greeted by the sound of a squabbling child and the amused laugh of another, obviously older person. "Leave me alone you shit head!" The high pitched voice of a child called out.  
"Don't be so mean!" The other voice had replied.  
Lovino didn't like to play the hero but, he felt slightly worried and slightly curious as of to why the two strangers had trespassed on his grandfather's land. Without paying further thought to his heroics, he ran toward the sound of the voices which came from the thick grass just outside the neatly trimmed patch of land around their house. As he ran toward the sound, the unmistakable crunch of small steps echoed closer. "Hey, wait up!" the cheerful voice of the second voice called, not too far away from Lovino. Again, he followed the duo as the seeds of worry were sewn in the pits of his stomach.

The change of scenery was almost instantaneous; Lovino realized when he was welcomed by the foreign plot of land. The area was starkly different from his home: The air was noticeably cooler, the air smelt faintly damp and large trees surrounded the clearing. The seeds of worry sprouted into anxiety when he caught sight of the culprits of the noise. The small child was pouting with childish anger and the young man beside him wore a goofy grin on his face. Their expressions were normal but their attire was anything but. The small boy wore beige trousers which contrasted with his frilly, vaguely feminie tunic and wore old fashioned shoes. Despite the child's strange attire, Lovino was particularly intrigued by the child's use of a Venetian mask. It resembled the masks worn during the Carnival up in Venice and was of a similar beige tint to his clothes, containing ornate designs engraved onto it's glass surface. The man beside the young boy wore clothes which ambiguously resembled those of a matador. His clothes were comprised of red and black which was embellished with intricate gold embroidery. He to, wore a Venetian mask accented with grey, containing a similar engraved design to his young companion. Whist the man was certainly a stranger, the boy was achingly familiar to the young man. Not giving him a moment to his own thoughts, the cheerful brunet nudged the child and led him away from the clearing into the forest. Feeling more frightened at the prospect of being alone in the clearing, Lovino hastily ran in pursuit.

* * *

I must digress, Lovino and Feliciano were both excellent at getting lost thus, Lovino was in the exact situation as his sibling. He was cold and miserable and felt the lump in his throat restrict his air. He wholeheartedly blamed the lump in his throat when he choked on a sob. The shadows continually seemed to warp into twisted forms and the encouraging sun was almost out of sight and above all, he was _terrified._ He was prone to crying, this much was quite obvious as his attempts to stop were futile. Despite his blurred vision he trudged on, biting his quivering lip. His face was flushed and he struggled to breathe in evenly. In his state, he almost missed the sound of unmuted whimpering- the very whimpering which he had to deal with for too many years. Through the sobs, sniffles and gasps, he managed to grin as he quickened his pace into a sprint. "Feliciano, where are you?!" He yelled out, voice cracking in his fit of desperation. The question remained unanswered but the sound of his whimpering brother was louder. As soon as he saw the blue hue of his brother's jacket and his auburn hair, Lovino flung himself at his brother.

He clung to his brother's squatted figure, horrified. His brother was screaming in complete terror, eyes shut- Feliciano was hyperventilating. "Goddamn it, Feliciano, breath- it's me, your brother!" Feliciano's breath was ragged but his screams subsided. His brother's amber eyes were dilated when his eyelids flew opened. "Just breath." Romano repeated. It took a moment before his brother could mutter a legitimate sentence. "Lovino, is that you?" He had asked, voice wavering. Lovino felt incredibly worried for, despite his own blurred vision he could see Feliciano's complete breakdown so he replied the most Lovino-esque way possible "Of course it is, you bastard." He then preceded to envelope his younger, needy sibling into a tight hug, allowing his own tears to be shed.

All that Lovino cared about in that moment was the safety of his family member. They stood there, in the midst of uncertainty, practically unmoving. His brother was frail at that moment- the cracks had reappeared in his glass heart. Holding the trembling figure of his sibling, he whispered words to not only to calm his brother's mind, but his own. Before long, his throat felt raw and his lips were chapped as he repeated-chanted- the words over and over until, soon, they lost meaning.


	3. Chapter 3

I wish to ask you all a simple question before I resume this tale: What is family to you? Are they a collection of individuals who, regardless of ancestors, have supported you through the bleak mist of uncertainty and lifted you above the turbulent waters of ill fate? Perhaps you believe that they are simply a collection of people who coincidentally share the same blood as you? It was common knowledge that Feliciano was ridiculously optimistic whist his older brother was a pessimist. Feliciano believed whole heartedly that families encompassed that of the first suggestion whist Lovino accepted the latter. Their opinions on the matter provided much insight onto who they were. Humans are much like books- their true selves are concealed within the thick, somewhat unappealing surface of leather which acts to bind their essence together. It is not the pages of the book which creates a true person- it is the content on the pages. Without writing, a person or book is simply blank and lifeless.

Many people wrongfully assumed that Feliciano was an angelic, kind youth when in fact, he was quite different. Despite his constant pacifism and fear of violence, Feliciano was a mischievous, cheeky, bold fellow who utilised his adorable features. It was quite the opposite for poor Lovino who was often dubbed a cynical, deviant lout. Whist quite aggressive at times, Lovino was most defiantly understood and in a sense as vulnerable as a child. Like many words contained in stories, they were misinterpreted- They were transformed from individuals who were the authors of their own stories to faceless, two dimensional components of a tale.

* * *

Much to his irritation, Lovino had merely slept for four hours. If not for his rude awakening, perhaps his mood would have been marginally better. The wails of Feliciano woke the young man form his dreamless sleep. "Please don't hurt me! I didn't do anything wrong- somebody, help me!" The disjointed plea from Feliciano remained unanswered prompting him to whine and blubber in his disoriented state. It had taken less than a moment before Lovino's temper had worn dangerously thin prompting him to silence his brother with a half-hearted clout to the side of his head. Following his act of warranted violence, Feliciano abruptly snapped out of his state and questioned his brother's actions.  
"What did I do?!" Feliciano whined, sniffing slightly only to receive another soft slap to the head.  
"It's all your damn fault you stupid brother!"  
"Seriously, Lovino, what _did _I do?"  
"I told you yesterday not to wake me up, god damn it! Why were you crying, anyway?"  
"In case you forgot, we're in the middle of nowhere- that warrants some crying." Their bickering reached its conclusion when the screech of a nearby animal hushed the two into silence. The two boys made the unanimous agreement to leave their feeble settlement without another world. The duo was determined to return to the comfort of their home so, despite their hunger, discomfort and minor exhaustion, they pressed forward. The ground was comprised of a collection of decomposed leaves, mud and fallen braches making it frustrating to navigate across. Despite this, it was impossible to ignore their majestic surroundings. The trees lowered over their figures and seemed vaguely protective. The forest contained an abundance of plant species which were comprised of rich emerald greens and moss green to pale beiges. Moss coated large grey boulders between trees and vines of various shapes and colours decorated the forestry. The major issue with the terrain was the slipperiness of the ground and the humidity which bothered the siblings endlessly. The air was sticky and much too hot for their liking prompting the siblings to press on.

It was indeed a surprise to the siblings when the dense trees began to thin out, the ground became levelled and clusters of soft grass littered the terrain. The sunlight which was previously devoured by the immensely large tree branches soon filtered across the level ground. They found themselves in the opening of a large, alluring meadow much to their shared delight. The plot of land was extensive and seemed to stretch out past the horizon. It was devoid of the trees and was much cooler than the forest which they had happily left behind. Overcome with joy, Feliciano ran into the welcoming field despite Lovino's protests. The grass was untamed and picturesque. Flowers grew in masses and coloured the pale green grass with the whole colour spectrum ranging from the palest creams to violet. A cool breeze swept across the marvellous land and beckoned Lovino who debated to himself whether or not the land was safe. Finally deciding against a returning to the damp forest, Lovino stepped into the warm embrace of sunlight and followed his ecstatic brother.  
"Isn't this place so surreal!" exclaimed Feliciano as he revelled in the comfort of nature.  
"Don't be stupid- how is this place still so untouched by people, though?"  
"Why should we care? Come and look at these flowers!"  
"Fine." replied Lovino, finally allowing the sheer beauty of the landscape to distract him. He jogged over to his brother, who was crouched down staring at awe at what he presumed was a flower, almost hidden by the wild grass. When he reached his brother's crouching figure he couldn't help but understand Feliciano's childish awe. Before him lay petite flowers which were coloured with soft pinks and whites. The flowers appeared almost _airy _and dreamlike much to his amusement. They reminded him of Feliciano in a sense, they were childlike and innocent much like his younger brother who at times could be a little shit. It made him laugh- to think that he attributed personality traits to a flower! It took him a moment to accredit his unusual wave of endearment to the sheer peculiarity of his situation. Utilising his moment of sudden peace, he has collected his thoughts only to be disrupted when Feliciano had quickly lost interest in the small flowers and had bound off to another corner of the botanical meadow. Lovino took a moment to capture the memory within his mind for, at the moment he felt lightheaded and strangely happy- almost as if a weight was lifted off his shoulders.

Whist Feliciano was determined to explore the meadow; Lovino had simply strolled through the knee length grass and allowed his senses to be overwhelmed. He allowed his palms to be tickled by the tall grass and the fragrance of the flowers to overwhelm his nostrils, the warmth of the sun to sooth him and the sight of the background to lull him into calmness. He was perfectly content until the shrill screeches of his brother interrupted the previous silence. "Lovino, help me!" At that exact moment, every ounce of joy left him and his face drained of colour. The desperate pleas were silenced and the sound of thrashing was all too audible. His face scrunched into a scowl as he ran, despite his instincts- he sprinted. "That fucking idiot!"


	4. Chapter 4

Lovino ran toward the sound of conflict. He kicked up mud and slapped away the larger floral growths, fuelled by desperation and unconcealed fear. His lungs ached and his heart pounded audibly as he sprinted. The tall grass whizzed past him and stung his legs and the previous collection of flowers were demolished- he didn't care though, all he focused on was the repetitive sound of a struggle which was magnified as he approached where he believed the centre of the meadow was. "Feliciano, where are you?!" he yelled out when he glanced at a blur of auburn, blue and red. "Lovino, help!" came the muffled reply from his brother before a flash of blinding light disrupted the chaos.

When the white light faded, Feliciano was gone, leaving a destroyed patch of grass, sure indication of a struggle. Lovino felt anger well within his chest as the injustice of the whole situation crushed him: First they were lost in a forest only to fall prey to an unsuspectingly dangerous clearing where Feliciano disappeared into _thin air_. "God damn it!" He screeched, kicking up the grass in his rage.

The sound of a collision jolted him into cautiousness. Where Feliciano previously occupied lay a book. There was something about the book which Lovino categorised as suspicious- its cover was made of aged leather and its browned pages were frayed- more importantly, it resonated a foreboding aura. He guardedly approached it and gingerly picked it up, noticing the familiar intricate designs which were engraved in silver on the spine of the book- The pattern replicated the repetitive designs on the venetian masks worn by the young man and the boy who had led him there. His thoughts were rudely interrupted by another flash of light for, upon contact with the rough textured surface of the book, the cacophonic sound of crinkling paper momentarily deafened him. Before he could understand what was happening, pages seemed to fall from the rapidly darkening skies. The pages were aged, worn and smelt faintly musty. They fell endlessly and seemed to encircle him. Before soon, the pages soon obstructed him peripheral vision. He flailed around in confused stupor only for the pages to encase him into another layer. No longer could he view the pristine meadow or the endless sky, only the endless fall of pages which made him increasingly claustrophobic. He yelled and fought, screamed and struggled to breathe as the anarchy only increased with the pages.

With no warning at all, the pages suddenly fell away, revealing a canvas of black and grey. The next thing Lovino registered was the echo of somebody's voice. The voice was whiny and brittle and undoubtedly belonged to none other than his brother- the very person who had single handily landed them in their predicament. In the dark of the premise, he could make out faint, ambiguous silhouettes. His brother's voice seemed miles away and rebounded off the invisible barriers of the area. His frustration eroded his sense of logic as he projected a string of tactless insults directed to nobody in particular. He would find his brother even if he _died _in the process. "Feliciano, you god forsaken idiot, run toward my voice!" moments later the prompt reply from his brother echoed through the range "Lovino, I can hear you but I can't see you, it's too dark!" Realizing the sheer stupidity of his suggestion, Lovino simply swore in agitation. After his short tantrum concluded, he decided to move. Edging his way across the relatively obstacle free premise, he found the landscape of shadows slowly change. His eyes had adjusted to the dark just as he fell to the ground. Screaming in fright, he clawed at the mysterious offender "Get the fuck off me!" He exclaimed ferociously only to be slapped by his opponent. "Calm down! Lovino, it's me!" His breath hitched when he realised just who was crushing him. "Feliciano?"  
"Of course it's me, you dummy! I thought that you ran away."  
"I'm not a coward and weren't you the one who was wailing like a girl before!'  
"It's not my fault! I was "wailing" because I tripped over and landed on my arm."  
"Oh- is your arm okay?"  
"Yeah, it's less sore now… Where are we?"  
"How would I know, you little shit."  
"Geez, I was just asking."  
Lovino could make out Feliciano's face in the dark. His brother's eyes were slightly puffy and he cradled his swollen arm. Feliciano was also incredible pale. "Hey. Are you okay, Feli?" Feliciano didn't have time to reply because, at the precise moment, the ground seemed to disappear and they fell. He screamed, Feliciano screamed and the air seemed to shriek, too. "Oh my god, we're falling!" exclaimed Feliciano, whose voice seemed to have jumped up an octave. Lovino screamed for a good minute before he was hit with a moment of clarity "Grab my hand- We need to stick together!" he yelled. Feliciano reached out for his brothers extended arm, fear etched onto his features. He paled further when he realized that they were too far apart. Lovino, as the stubborn young man he was, lunged forward and managed to clasp his younger sibling's outstretched hand. "Hold on!" He yelled.

What mortified him was the numbness in the hand which held Feliciano's and his impaired vision which was due to the stinging winds. He didn't bother pondering their final destination for the prospect of falling to the ground at such a velocity was depressing. Instead of falling prey to morbid thoughts he preoccupied himself by assessing their surroundings. Everything was blurred but he realised that despite the constant hue of black, he could see his brother and himself perfectly well. Speaking of his brother, Feliciano looked horrible. His copper hair flew wildly, victim to the air and his face was paper white. He looked like a nervous wreck, actually. His amber eyes were popping out of his head and his eyebrows seemed to merge with his hairline. If not for their free fall to oblivion, he would have laughed. In his surprised state, he initially didn't register his brother's voice. "What are we going to do?" Feliciano's voice was oddly sombre and almost inaudible in the wind. "I don't know…" was the equally dejected reply from Lovino. They remained in their stiff positions allowing the constant howl of wind to fill the silence- what was the point in discussing their inevitable deaths?

If there was one thing which Lovino knew, it was that their situation could not have been worse- how could it be? They were falling down some type of pit at such a speed that it was hard to breath and more importantly, when they reached the end of the fall, they would be splats on the ground. Of course, he was proven wrong when another flash of light blinded him. When the light slowly faded and his eyes adjusted he felt his stomach fall when he saw Feliciano who was much further away. He cursed himself for getting distracted when it became painfully obvious that they had let go of one another. The silence was short lived when Feliciano and Lovino began screaming- both losing their last remaining shreds of sanity. Feliciano shook his head fervently and exclaimed in complete horror "We're seriously going to die! Somebody, help us!" Of course, his pleas for help were unanswered and were again replaced with his yells of horror. Lovino was in a similar state but had instead spewed out profanity as involuntary tears cascaded from his eyes. Both of the siblings ceased their screams when a wave of dizziness and nausea passed over them. Perhaps it was their inability to inhale a sufficient amount of air or their bad luck- regardless, the two passed out.

* * *

_"Lovino, come here for a second. I need to tell you something."  
"Give me a second, damn it."  
"Now, now- you shouldn't swear, Lovi!"  
"What's up with you, anyway? You seem out of it, lately."  
"Age does that to people, I suppose."  
"Oh god, there you go again."  
Lovino lay contentedly on the polished timber floors mindlessly fiddling with the brown hemming on the nearby couch. The living room was cosy and lit with the soft golden glow of the overhead lamp. Nonno had left with Lucca and Feliciano to Rome for the weekend much to Lovino's chagrin. Of course, Nonno had ensured that he'd be left with Carlos, their neighbour. Carlos's house was a two story building which seemed to creak upon the slightest gust of wind. To Lovino- it was more of a home than his own. He'd spend days of his childhood annoying the everlasting hell out of Carlos- for a matter of a fact, he could claim responsibility for Carlos's stress related hair loss. He honestly did adore the house, though. The walls were painted sienna and were decorated with a variety of tasteful abstract artworks. The home itself contained simple décor which were decorated expertly by none other than Carlos himself. Lovino particularly treasured Carlos's garden which contained an abundance of home grown vegetables and herbs. The expanse of land contained basil, garlic, eggplant, zucchini, rosemary, thyme and his personal favourites: tomatoes. The range of vegetation was amazing considering the immense effort which Carlos invested. The garden was where the majority of Lovino's memories were set. He remembered helping Carlos harvest the ripe plants, nourishing the various vegetables and herbs with water, running through the garden, hiding from Carlos and exploring the seemingly endless haven. Reminiscing brought a small smile to his lips for the little home was his sanctuary. _

_Lovino patted his stomach and sighed- he always got spoiled when he spent time at Carlos's house. Finally tired of lazing about, Lovino stood up and stretched, finally deciding to listen. His feet were cooled by the smooth material as he walked toward Carlos who sat on the sofa, a faraway smile etched on his aged face and eyes glassy. "Your face looks funny when you daydream." Lovino commented dryly, knowing well that it would snap Carlos from his silence. "Lovi, you actually listened! I'm so glad." Carlos exclaimed cheekily to the teenager. "Shuddup." replied Lovino staring at the ground awkwardly. Carlos smiled at him cheerfully, ignoring Lovino's rudeness, and motioned for him to sit down on the couch. Lovino sat down next to the old man, eyebrows furrowed as his frown deepened- something was wrong. Carlos had known Lovino ever since the boy was born and on many occasions, had taken care of him. Now, Carlos was an old man, almost ninety years of age: hair greyed, a large bold spot directly in the middle of his scalp, wrinkles prevalent and simply aged- The old fellow knew that it was time to prepare Lovino for life in his death. "Lovino," he began, voice gruff with age "you're- how old are you?- that's right, you're already fourteen and you've grown into quite the young man. I'm sure you know what an old timer I am and… Well, I just wanted to tell you how proud I am of you."  
"Wait. Why are you-" Lovino was cut off by Carlos who cleared his throat and continued.  
"I have taken care of you ever since you were a little child and it has amazed me how much you have grown and changed into the person you are today. The truth is, I asked your grandfather to take Feliciano and Lucca to Rome for the weekend so that I could spend some quality time with you. You know that I'm not growing any younger and – A month ago, I was referred to the doctors and they feel as if my time is-"  
"Don't you bloody say it! You're not going to leave me- you CAN'T!" exclaimed Lovino who had been much too quiet. His voice quietened to a whisper " You- you can't leave me here. I- I can't do this without you…" Moments earlier he had been relaxing, contently and yet again, something bad had to happen. Carlos was the only person in his fourteen years of existence who had tried to understand him. To Carlos he wasn't "Feliciano's brother." Or "That man's grandchild" To Carlos he was simply Lovino. When he had gotten into a fist fight two years ago, it was Carlos who had cleaned him up and scolded him before hugging him and allowing him to cry. When he was alone and friendless, it was Carlos who kept him company. When people constantly praised Lucca and Feliciano, it was Carlos who had welcomed him as an individual. The man who was there for his whole life was stating what he was going to leave. Lovino couldn't process anything at that moment- for some strange reason his vision was blurred and he couldn't breathe. When he tried to inhale, he ended up making a whiny breathing sound- it wasn't a sob; that was for sure- he was simply unable to breathe. He felt those familiar wrinkly arms envelope him into a tight hug. The sweater which Carlos wore was scratch but at that moment, he didn't care- he was too busy swearing to himself that this time, he would be there for Carlos. _

* * *

"Antonio, he moved! Come quickly."

" Thank god-he's opening his eyes!"  
Lovino didn't know where he was but goddamn it, those voices were annoying. His mouth felt dry and his muscles ached dully- this didn't compare to the intense headache. He realized that at that moment, despite his immense pain, he was alive.

He was breathing, feeling and more importantly, he was _unscathed _from the fall

Overcome with joy, he bolted upright and opened his eyes. Upon the abrupt movement, he felt pain wrack his body. His vision was distorted and blurred at first but slowly focused. His head pounded with pain and his whole body felt weak so, at that moment, Lovino didn't care where he was- that is, until he saw the person who belonged to the obnoxiously cheerful voice. The man had deep green eyes and slightly unruly hair- his smile though was ever so familiar - the resemblance was uncanny. He was undoubtedly much younger but _the resemblance was uncanny_. "Carlos?"


	5. Chapter 5

Humans are a sloppy species. They destroy, hate and mindlessly follow despite constantly overthinking. You must understand that even I am not perfect.  
It is our collective imperfections which forge our identities as individuals and humans. Your race is irrational and spiteful but hides majesty and natural, flawed beauty.

Feliciano was a boy who viewed life abstractly. Whilst others viewed the world with boredom and disinterest, he had the ability to uncover the hidden beauty in life. He realized that beauty was not always perfection. Our protagonist was an artist to the very core: he valued the splendour of life and accepted flaws.

The enormity of our protagonist's dilemma was obvious when his plummet to oblivion was disrupted by a flash of light. Now, despite his optimistic demeanour, Feliciano knew when trouble was brewing. This much was obvious when he awoke, greeted by an uneven, itchy and frankly uncomfortable surface. He opened his unusually heavy eyelids to find himself in a large expanse of land which foresaw Mother Nature's slow descent into a slumber.

Golden threads of grass encircled Feliciano's form and lacked the variety of flowers from the meadow he'd explored earlier. The terrain was a palette of orange, gold, crimson and faded greens. The heavily clouded skies contrasted greatly with the golden plane and carried a cool breeze across the land. The crisp winds carried wilting leaves across the expanse and littered the grass a spectrum of autumn hues. The leaves stemmed from a proud, lone oak tree which was a large beacon amidst the grass. However, the magnificence of the sight did not distract Feliciano from the burning fires which seemed to scorch his wrist.

Uncertain as to what his next actions would be, he gingerly lifted up his left arm to examine the damage. He inwardly cursed his carelessness, for the damage to his wrist could easily have been avoided. Upon movement, he was greeted by pain which radiated from his inflamed wrist. He bit his lip in agony until the pain slowly passed. It was obvious- he'd sprained his wrist. The young man preoccupied himself simply by staring at the environment, trying to distract himself, inhaling the fragrance of the earth- calming his rampant emotions.

"What do you value the most?" a hushed voiced questioned, prompting Feliciano to yelp in surprise. The cowardly man turned around and was greeted by a young'un who was clad in black. Once in closer proximity, Feliciano realized that the child could not have been more than seven years of age.

"Pardon me?"

"I said, what do you value the most?" The boy spoke quite well for his age and regarded Feliciano with a cool, not quite hostile stare. Feliciano thought about the question for a moment before replying.

"Well, I love my family and cooking- oh, I also value art." It wasn't a lie- the young man had just simplified the answer so that the young boy would understand.

"You're quite materialistic… Would you, if placed in peril, exchange one of these aspects for knowledge- if it was necessary for survival, I mean?" The boy's response was not that of a minor, Feliciano realized. The boy's appearance was deceiving. His features were hidden but undeniably young- despite this, though, the boy was much older than he appeared.

"If I were to define an aspect of life which I cherish, it would still be family." Feliciano began, carefully choosing his words, "Even if faced with death, I don't think that I would sacrifice my family."

"Is that so?" The child replied simply, giggling slightly at what was presumably an inside joke. The boy then proceeded to ruffle through the contents of his gold embellished clothes. Finally attaining his desired item, the boy stared at Feliciano through his mask – a grave expression etched on his face.

"Feliciano Vargas- I urge that you remember what you cherish." Before Feliciano could question the strange child, the boy placed something in his uninjured hand, flashed him a small smile at him and disappeared in the ever-so-familiar blaze of light.

Again, the ground seemed to disappear prompting him to fall into the dark, endless void. Clutching the gift for dear life, Feliciano decided to hastily shove it in his pocket before his instincts failed him- again, he screamed.

* * *

The intense pain that radiated from his stomach seemed to bother the rest of his body. Feliciano actually felt nauseas from pain. His thoughts were disjointed and borderline delirious as he lay on an uneven, grainy surface. The air smelt musty and the freezing air made him shiver. His pain immobilised him so, he resigned himself to remaining in his uncomfortable position until forced to move.. He managed to shift his body into a more comfortable position before a voice startled him.

"I know you're awake."

Feliciano panicked and managed to pry his eyes open and sit upright. He immediately regretted his decision when he was hit by intense, raw pain which racked his body, prompting him to gasp in pain. When he attempted to plea for mercy, he found that his mouth was much too dry and that he couldn't articulate an intelligible sentence. A woman's blurred figure radiated an aura of distaste.

"If I wanted to hurt you, I probably would have done so. Now, lay back down this instant and stop with your insistent mumbling." The woman's voice reminded him of his particularly strict lecturers and teachers from the earlier years of his life, or that horribly strict librarian who had removed him from the library on many occasions.

Immediately hearing her no-nonsense tone, he slowly lay back down, cringing when pain shot through his wrist. Feliciano allowed his muscles to relax and his pain to slowly fade before angling his head toward the mysterious stranger. The woman appeared to be in her late twenties. Her long sandy blonde hair was in pigtails and she wore spectacles which made her glossy jade eyes appear large. Her somewhat thick eyebrows were furrowed and her features expressed stress. The woman glanced at him for a moment, realizing that he was staring at her and began to talk.

"My name's Alice, it's a pleasure to meet you." Her facial expression seemed to prove otherwise but she continued "I found you dehydrated and seemingly suffering from malnutrition- I won't even mention your wrist." At that point, Feliciano hadn't the slightest bout of energy to respond so he nodded. It was indeed a surprise to Feliciano when she brought a container to his chapped, cracked lips.

"Drink this, you'll feel better." She murmured. The sweet taste of the drink was gone all too soon, and again the woman receded to her previous spot. Feliciano felt quite better- his mouth didn't feel nearly as dry, his headache had faded into a dull ache and despite his weakened muscles, he felt quite alright and willing to chat. After all, the mysterious woman had healed him from his poor state.

"Thank you, Alice- may I call you that?"

"Yes, you may- and you're welcome," she replied, her expression

"If you don't mind me asking: why did you save me?"

"If you'd believe it, I saved you from the goodness in my cold heart." She replied monotonously. The conversation had become incredibly awkward, even for Feliciano but the young man persisted.

"How long have I been unconscious?" he began, "Since you found me, I mean."

"Approximately two days. Do you have any more questions?"

"Sorry, just one more: where am I?" The woman gave him an incredulous stare before replying.

"You're in the west coast- slightly inland, though." Her answer was frustratingly ambiguous but Feliciano felt much too tired to question her further.  
"Goodnight." He murmured, allowing his pain to fade away, accompanied by his consciousness.

* * *

Alice scolded him from his dreamless sleep the next morning. The sun had barely risen and coloured the grey sky with an orange glow and did little against the chilling winds. She had lectured him, stating that he had to exercise if he wished to improve his state. Unhappily, he stood up, ignoring the aches and pains in his muscles and walked. Feliciano felt quaint and slightly unstable, prompting his return to Alice. The woman was content with ignoring, intimidating or scolding him.

"Feliciano, I am well aware that you are lost." She began, sighing mid-sentence "Currently, we are two days away from my village. From there you may depart from the main harbour and bugger off- as I am travelling back home, it is in your best interest to accompany me." Feliciano ignored her curt insult and beamed at her.

"Wow, you're not as mean as I thought!" he remarked, honestly surprised "When are we leaving?"

"I'll tell you when we're leaving and here- we don't want you to collapse again." She muttered before shoving a mysterious item in his hand and storming away.

Alice was easily insulted, he decided before turning his attention to the mysterious item. He guessed that it was food and found himself to be correct. It resembled bread but felt incredibly tough, crumbly and unpleasant. Forcibly swallowing the tasteless, most certainly non-gourmet clump he could help but voice his criticism. "This is horrible…"  
Alice returned soon after, ignoring his dejection which stemmed from the food- well, technically the _lack _of it.  
"Let's go."  
"But, I still feel weak…" he began but stopped when the strict woman silenced him with a glare.  
At that moment, our poor fellow realized that it would be a long trip- a _very_ long trip.

They trekked across the uneven terrain for hours before Feliciano's pleas of rest finally ended. The sun bore down on them with no mercy and the sheer rocky obstacles challenged his weakened muscles. Occasionally, the young man would play soccer with his friends and family and explore the outside premise of his grandfather's property. Still, he couldn't keep up with Alice who walked at an incredibly swift pace. She made no attempt to converse with Feliciano who endlessly complained, sang and mumbled.

"You're kind of boring. You need to smile and talk more! It'd do you a bucket load of good to your cute face." Flirting had got him quite far in life so he implemented his skills.  
"You've got quite a nerve insulting me like that." She paused for a moment before snorting and stating bitterly "I'm not cute, not at all."  
"Oh gosh, don't say such a thing- you're a cutie- a strict one, though~" Feliciano purred, silently praying that his charm had worked.  
"You're a complete idiot!"  
Feliciano was perfectly capable of reading the atmosphere when she glared at him through her glasses and frowned.  
"Stop lounging about- it shall be dark soon and if we wish to return to the village in time, we must continue forth."  
He was sure that his flirting would enable him to successfully receive a longer break- now, though; he'd regretted his comments for it backfired. Sighing, he stood up shakily and followed Alice.

The afternoon dragged on and finally, night fell. Alice insisted that they camp near a small mass of trees and a collection of shrubs. Feliciano was not too fond of the area but knew better than to annoy his saviour further. His feet ached and only added onto his continually growing list of pains. He was glad that his headache had finally dispersed, leaving behind his muscle pain.

The temperature dropped so, despite Alice's protests, he collected wood from the nearby trees and brought them to their campsite. Feliciano had watched documentaries depicting similar situation but despite this, he couldn't light a fire. After his fifth attempt proved fruitless, Feliciano gave up and hugged his thin jacket, attempting to gain some warmth. Feliciano considered voicing his complaints but didn't, fearing that he would anger Alice.

The sound of rustling jolted him from his thoughts. Staring up, he saw Alice staring at the pile of wood before crouching down and lighting the fire. She then proceeded to dust her slightly tattered blue dress and placed her filthy apron onto the ground before sitting down near the fire, ensuring that the small flame became a suitable campfire. Before soon, the fire cast a yellowish tint around their camping diameter and warmed Feliciano's previously shivering form. After a moment, Alice stared at Feliciano, clearly amused- her pale green eyes betraying her deadest frown. The fire flickered in her vibrant green irises- her eyes held unspoken age, radiance and luminosity which exhibited the somewhat quenched flames of rebelliousness and passion- it reminded him of spring: the span of time where nature flourished grew and regained its flare or period when Mother Nature would rise from the cold white ashes. Not learning from his earlier experience, Feliciano decided to inform her of the information.

"I like your eyes; they're really vibrant- like spring." He stated, only for her to scoff at him again  
"You're hopeless- give up while you're ahead."  
"I wasn't flirting, you know. My grandfather taught me to voice the beauty which I find so that others may recognise it, too- plus, you're way too old for me." He grinned at her cheekily when she gasped at his indirect insult.  
"I'll have you know that I'm only thirty- and despite my _old age, _my back would only give out after I break yours. Gosh, you're appearance is quite deceiving- here I thought you were somewhat innocent."  
"Aww, don't be like that- I'm totally innocent." He earned a small grin from Alice  
"You know, if I didn't know better, I would assume you've never travelled before."  
"Shush now, I'm _totally _adept at it!" He laughed, enjoying the light-hearted atmosphere. Feliciano expected another, equally cheerful response but simply received a gloomy sigh from the latter.  
"Hey, are you okay?"  
She stared at him, her eyes now a void of the earlier passion and rebelliousness  
"Good night, boy." She said, ignoring his question. Oddly enough, her voice became quiet, it was not playful or strict, just empty. The crackling sound of the fire and eerie sounds of distant animals kept Feliciano awake- that and his worries. In the dark of the night, he worried about his brother who he had not seen since their fall, he worried about Lucca and his Nonno who would have been concerned about their disappearances and he worried about his situation. The thought plagued him and crushed any hope of sleep.

* * *

Feliciano had in fact attained a blink of sleep despite the nightmarish themes within them. He was rudely woken when Alice hurled a stick at him. When he was forcibly hauled upright, he'd been offered the horrible bread which he'd ate the day before. The bread tasted revolting. Again, he was hit by a stick when he'd insulted it. After consuming the "bread" Feliciano was appalled to realise the state of his hair when he'd absently combed his hair with his fingers and found knots within his generally well kept locks. Whilst he'd brushed his hair with his grimy fingertips, Alice had foraged water for them. Without another word, they began their travels, determined to return to the village within the next day.

They arrived in Alice's town the following day. Ominous grey clouds had gathered over the town, creating a bleak atmosphere. Since their conversation, Alice and Feliciano hadn't ceased their trek toward the town. Feliciano was too preoccupied by worry and fatigue and Alice was busied by her own thoughts making their journey uncomfortable, silent and as horrible as the weather. The town's entrance was a large metallic gate. The metal was cold to touch and was made of a black metallic substance which had moulded to form intricate swirls and patterns. Positioned next to the towering gate were two guards. Their posture was immaculate and they wore black pants underneath military boots and red blazers which were decorated with gold buttons and embellishment. The two men stared at Alice for a moment, disgust evident on their features, before granting them access. Feliciano felt the guard's stare sear into the back of his skull.  
He didn't look back, though- he stared at the cobblestone path before him.

Cool breezed carried the scent of salt through the town. Residential buildings lined the busied streets and the sound of languages reverberated around the streets which added to the liveliness of the town. It surprised Feliciano, for despite the early hours of the day, children played, adults carried about their business, all whist he had no purpose in the town. People intentionally avoided him and casted contempt glares toward him and before soon, he felt paranoid and anxious. Alice paid no attention to the stared and simply insulted Feliciano who was positively frightened by the hostility. He followed Alice through the town's winding streets, through a populated, opening market place and across a bridge. He was then led to another residential complex. The building towered over his puny figure and was coloured with earthy browns and reds. Feliciano's outstretched hand felt the rough texture of the somewhat inundated building; felt the contour of the bricked wall until Alice motioned toward the entrance of the building.

Alice's house was unlit and the air smelt stale. The furniture was covered in a thin layer of dust and pages were strewn across the marble tiles. He stood behind the locked wooden door, unsure what to do when Alice motioned toward a set of wooden chairs which were literally beacons in a sea of papers. When he was properly seated, they sat in silence for a moment until Feliciano cleared his throat and began the conversation  
"I've been meaning to ask you this, Alice. Why _did _you help me?" Alice stared at him for a moment before continuing  
"You're not as stupid as you look, child." She stared right through him and continued "I'll allow you to ask me five questions, okay?"  
"You didn't answer my question… By the way, I have a name, you know. It's Feliciano Vargas. Why would you waste water, that gross bread and time on me? More importantly, why have you allowed for me to enter your home? Oh, and one more question: Why was everyone staring at us?"  
"You've used up three questions already, you dummy-Feliciano. Okay a lady never lies so I shall abide by my statement. I told you this earlier but fine-first, I'm not a cruel person- a surprise, I know. I learned medical aid from my grandmother and felt obligated to help you- oh and my bread is not gross! Second, I've allowed you into my house because you're injured and I wish to uphold my obligation as a medic and finally, they were staring at you, not me. You're clothes look much too peculiar to be of this world… Ignore my last statement." It was true, Feliciano realised. He had been wearing his favourite navy blue jacket over his black button up top and jeans. The people around the city, on the other hand, wore clothes which appeared quite industrial revolution-esque or Victorian.  
"What do you mean 'to be of this world'?"  
"God, I should have just left you to die." She began, evidently annoyed "There's no harm in telling you this, I suppose. You see, I have a hypothesis. My parents- specifically my mother- would tell me stories of another world, supposedly where they were born. Apparently, they 'fell' from that world to mine- hence their absurd skills and immense knowledge on subjects which the inhabitants here didn't even comprehend. My grandmother would often talk about a world war which had involved her country. She mentioned mass exterminations, bloodshed and also a band of villainous countries… What were they called again?" She hadn't been given the opportunity to continue for Feliciano shook his head violently, disbelief etched onto his features.  
"Wait- Alice, do you have a map of the world?!" He felt himself panic when she stood up and began rummaging through the mass of pages nearby. She returned within moments, staring at Feliciano questioningly. Feliciano merely stared at the map, his mouth agape- the map didn't resemble any place on earth.

The conversation that followed was series of question which remained unanswered. At the end of all, they both left the conversation with no further information, more curious and tired. The evening then passed with minimal fighting: they ate, Alice ignored him and finally, Feliciano fell asleep on the scratchy couch which Alice had sent him to.

Our little protagonist, Feliciano woke to the sound of rustling papers and shuffling. Alice was rummaging through the papers placed on her large oak desk, positioned against opposite wall. The apartment had been cleaned up. No longer did dust coat every object and paper litter the room. He'd sat up groggily, muscles sore once again from his trek. Alice obviously attained no sleep. She wore the same tattered, grimy clothes and her hair was plaited messily. Alice immediately noticed him and turned around a frown distorting her features.  
"Get up Feliciano. We need to go to the harbor." Her voice was cold and deathly quiet- it chilled the Italian to his very core. Feliciano knew better than to argue so he got up with no complaint, too fearful to refuse.  
Alice carried a brown leather satchel which was overflowing with items. She didn't bother explaining anything to him, though. She simply grabbed him by the collar and dragged him out of her apartment, across a bridge, through the desolate markets and toward the docks. Feliciano felt the tendrils of fear crawl around him and strangle him- something was wrong, he was in danger. He opened his mouth to plea for help only to be silenced by Alice who hissed, telling him to shut up. Her demeanour had changed; she had lost all compassion for him and treated him like an item. He felt her grip tighten around his collar, choking him and preventing him from escaping. Something was _seriously _wrong. Fearfully, he shut his eyes, unwilling to respond to anything- fear had immobilised him.  
"It looks like you've caught a rat, Alice. Now, why did you bring him to us?" came the heavily accented gruff voice  
"He's from _that _world. Look at his garments- even his complexion is far too dark to be from the west. I'll give you this boy and my research if you return Peter first." Her voice was professional and cold. Feliciano's mind was buzzing with questions whist Alice bargained with the man:

What had happened?  
Who was Peter?  
Why had Alice done this?  
"Fine, have the mongrel!" muttered the voice  
Alice's tightening grasp on his collar made him gasp for air desperately. At this point, Feliciano was forced to open his eyes despite the fear which sat in his gut, festering.  
Across from her stood a stocky man with a stout like nose and beady eyes. The man looked brute like and wore a crooked smirk which distorted into an ugly grin which beared his rotting sharp teeth. The beast like man held a young boy whose chubby face was flushed from weeping. He resembled Alice greatly and seemed seconds away from screaming.  
"Remember, Alice Kirkland" The man bellowed "If you even _think _of disobeying us again, there will be _no _compromise." The man forcefully dragged the young boy along with him as he approached Feliciano and Alice.  
He reached them, pushed Peter toward Alice and seized Feliciano. The young Italian immediately began screaming and struggling only to be overpowered by the lean man. Alice handed the satchel toward the man before staring at Feliciano.  
"I'm sorry," she said before enveloping Peter in a hug "I had to."  
It was the last sight he viewed before the large man's fist collided with his temple and his body went limp.

* * *

Feliciano woke up in darkness. It was incredibly hard to inhale the stuffy air and his arms and legs were cramped in the confines of a container. Immediately, he panicked- he kicked and yelled and struggled within the foreign space.  
His head caned with pain and his muscles still hurt.  
His eyes felt as if they were burning.  
His lungs were struggling to receive air and  
his heart thumped wildly in his chest.  
The echo of boots immediately shut him up, though. Fear was crawling through his skin, making him shiver and gasp for fresh air  
The stranger spoke a foreign language which seemed to reverberate around the room and seemed to approach Feliciano's direction. Again, the Italian's logic was overridden by severely flawed instinct and he yelped only serving to attract unwanted attention.  
Feliciano heard unfamiliar statements rumbling from the stranger's hushed voice. Regardless of the other man's words, Feliciano felt himself panic and before he could silence himself, he yelled out:  
"Hello to you, I'm a box of tomatoes fairy! I come here in peace!" He couldn't help but curse his idiotic response- yet again; his stupidity had landed him in another dangerous situation. He felt movement above his head "N-no! There's nobody here- don't open the box!" he yelled again, desperation clawing away at his coherence.

He was given no time to scream for, precisely a moment later, he heard a large crack, and light flooded the container.

He should have remained quiet.

* * *

**End.**

Aaah, I'm sorry for my late update. I've been quite busy with school and I've also been working on other pieces. I would like to thank Dorayuki-chan who Beta'd my work.

As school has begun, this is the last chapter I'll release for the next few weeks. Enjoy your week!

-Drew-


	6. Chapter 6

The Vargas siblings were drowning in separate oceans for starkly different reasons. Feliciano had frolicked on the west coast and was capture in a swell due to his foolish decision to trust. Lovino, on the other hand, was lifted above familiar shores and dropped in the depths of an ocean simply due to his luck. His dilemma began the precise moment he opened his eyes.

He was faced by a ghost; a younger, carefree ghost- the ghost of a man who had acted as Lovino's mentor, fatherly figure and best friend. Lovino shook his head, refusing to believe what was conspiring.  
It was obvious; he was in a dream- trapped in a nightmare.  
At any moment, he'd wake up on the wooden balcony of his home to the glaring afternoon sun-  
Lucca would shake his shoulders and wake him up and they would find Feliciano. They'd then return home and enjoy a hearty meal before retiring to bed. He'd awaken unscathed, un-haunted and reunited with his family.  
Lovino blinked rapidly; then progressed to pinch his arms and when that didn't work; he pulled at his curling, chocolate brown hair.  
He was asleep.  
This wasn't happening.  
He was going insane.  
Lovino absolutely refused to believe that he'd _fallen _into another world-for god sakes, this wasn't Lovino in Wonderland!

His thoughts dispersed like frenzied birds when cold hands gripped his wrist and shot an icy shiver down his spine, immobilising his fiery tantrum. Wincing, he slowly opened his eyes and was met by the curious stare of a young woman. Pale light filtered through a nearby window and bounced off her sandy blonde locks as her cool stare, lulled him into passiveness. Tense silence seemed to suffocate him like a blanket before her thin lips curled into a mischievous smile and she spoke animatedly "You, my friend, are in trouble."  
His brain short circuited as confusion struck him like a vengeful wave. He opened his chapped lips to speak but couldn't piece together a legible sentence. The young woman stared at him for a moment before chuckling at his blatant inner turmoil. It was obvious that Lovino needed a moment to recollect himself so the cheerful woman excused herself, simply stating that she would return with some food and water. Lovino was unsure how to respond for his mind was ablaze with questions so he nodded mutely and leaned heavily on the uncomfortable headboard which supported him.

By the time the curious woman returned, his headache eased into a dull twinge and the ghost was nowhere in sight, eliminating one third of his issues. The young woman, who had introduced herself as Anri, chatted to Lovino and skilfully steered him away from confusion. He quite liked her- she was bubbly, talkative and cheerful, everything which he was not. Dear Lovino, who had learned from the past and consequently, was not nearly as trusting as Feliciano, though.  
He'd refrained from answering any of her questions. Under other circumstances, he would have felt incredibly guilty for deceiving a young maiden; alas, to him, it didn't matter for he was dreaming.

Despite his festering fears, Anri intrigued him. Her layered brown skirt swished in sync with her hips and clung to her curves perfectly. Undoubtedly she was graced with beauty- this much was obvious when she flashed him a cheerful smile which softened her feminine features. Despite her demeanour, there was great worry flickering in her moss green irises and at times, her figure seemed to slouch in resignation. He was intrigued, not stupid so he refrained from talking. Their one sided chatter soon died and they sat in uncomfortable silence until Anri jolted upright in realization. She hurriedly rushed to the oak door which closed off the small room and excused herself politely. Lovino listened to the click of the door, the echo of boots and the creak of the floorboards until silence soon settled.

* * *

When humans are left alone with their thoughts, monsters born of misery slowly creep from the back of their mind and diffuse through the rest of their body- it's a phenomenon which has undoubtedly impacted these feeble creatures- perhaps even you. These small demons manipulate hidden fears and dwell in your stomach, in nooks of your throat and the corners of your mind. They fester in your system until a positive interaction exorcises the devils momentarily.

It was unfortunate for Lovino who had waited for a moment, and a moment longer for the cheerful woman to return. He waited until the he basked in the orange light of afternoon and until the twinkling stars shone in the sky like diamond fragments on an endless ivory drape.

His fears clawed at his mind, clawing away any remaining fragments of positivity. The monsters whispered taunts which barely reached his ears. Their jeering was truthful, however. He believed every sentence which was uttered- every syllable: Every single word. When their words faded into barely audible whispers, a heavy feeling perched on his gut and made him queasy.  
He'd failed  
Feliciano was lost,  
everything was a mess and he was to blame and despite the fact that he was asleep- it positively scared him that he'd managed to physically _lose _his sibling. His misery opened an empty abyss which Lovino hazardously descended into until Anri shook him awake. She stared at him for a moment, clearly worried before whispering to him "Romano, come with me. We need to get you out of here."

She physically dragged his trembling form upward and across the room. Something was terribly awry, he noticed, as Anri hauled him across the scarcely lit halls which led to a large red door. He was snapped to attention when a chilling breeze hit his face and he felt cobblestone beneath his feet. Even if he swore never to lay a hand on a woman, he wouldn't let anyone drag him around like a limp ragdoll. With immense effort, he dug his heels onto the ground and seemed to unhinge Anri's grip.  
"Stop," he stared at her for a moment "What's going on?" His voice was steady and controlled but he felt his head spin with confusion.  
"You're wasting time." She hissed, desperately.  
"No." was his simple reply. Lovino would not be left in the dark and if he would have to stand there for a day in return for an answer, he would.  
"Listen to me, you're not safe at the moment," She began, anger twinging her words "and if _you _want to act childishly, I will physically drag you away." She stared at Lovino for a moment, obviously anger and quite intimidating, still he refused to move. His stance became defensive and he stood his ground, he most definitely would not move.

It caught him by surprise when Anri disappeared in a blur of green, blonde and brown and he felt a painfully strong grip on his wrist. Again, he was dragged across the paths of the unfamiliar city and was helpless. Anri was stronger than he anticipated and despite his thrashing, her grip merely tightened as her heels clacked against the stone paths. Lovino knew better than to fight with Anri's inhuman grip and soon began to walk in favour of being dragged.  
Their journey was silent and tense.  
They crept across the town stealthily, careful not to stray onto the populated streets. The dup kept to the shadowy alleyways which were lit by the pale moonlight and were constantly moving. Anri often looked over her shoulder as the two felt the stare of an unknown force. Earlier that day, Lovino had conversed with Anri with little conflict yet as he was dragged around the winding paths of the town, she was strangely hostile. He cursed his ill fortune for, yet again, he was in danger.

* * *

After countless twists and turns, the buildings thinned out and their path transitioned from cobblestone to gravel. It had become increasingly darker and cold as they strayed from the city and slowly trudged up a grassy hill. Finally Anri halted before a lone cottage which overlooked the town. Lovino was royally exhausted from their trek across the ginormous scape of building and collapsed into the slightly damp grass when Anri had left him outside. His lungs burned and his laboured breath filled the stretching silence. He lay on his back and stared at the expanse of stars above him as pain wracked his body two fold. Lovino's palms gripped his tanned jacket tightly as he lay on the ground. The night was cold and slightly uncomfortable but despite this, he resolved to enjoy his moment of solitude. He slowly moved his aching joints and allowed the damp grass to tickle his palms and the sweet scent of the evening to numb his erratic emotions. He angled his head downward and quietly observed the small town which had seemed like a maze. The settlement utilised an ornate design which vaguely resembled the architecture of ancient Europe and the retro designs of the ever so common skyscrapers. It was baffling how the two starkly different building styles coincided and created a fusion town. Growing bored, Lovino closed his eyes and focused on his breathing, allowing his brain to function again. His emotions stilled and his breaths became even as his mind roamed. One thought led to another and soon, he was engulfed in contemplation.

His peace was short lived when the crunch of grass buzzed in his ears and lifted him from his thoughts. He stretched his pained muscles and joints before staring upward, greeted by Anri who stared down at him in worry. Her forehead momentarily creased until his questioning stare was noticed. She sat down next to his form and sighed, not willing to respond.  
"Sorry for dragging you around like that and thanks for not fleeing." Her smile reeked of superficial fumes and Lovino didn't have the heart to treat the maiden cruelly so he replied quietly  
"To be honest, these past few days have been far too darn bizarre." He stared at her eyes which were glazed over "Don't apologise, I just wanted an explanation."  
Anri stared at him for a moment before abruptly standing upward and offering her hand to Lovino which he gladly took.  
"I shall oblige, follow me." She said, sounding somewhat chirpier than before. Lovino, the boy who had vowed not to trust as easily as his foolish brother, nodded and followed her up a small set of wooden steps, across the balcony and through the polished oak door to the two story home. When he was greeted by the homely light of the house, he glanced at the young woman whose face expressed untamed guilt. Before he could question her, he heard the unmistakable sound of feet which seemed to descent from stairs. He felt his heart thump in his chest and dread settle heavily on his chest. There was something unidentifiably strange about the dull ache in his chest, though. It seemed to pain further with every step the mysterious other made and soon, it seemed to drown out his other aches. The dread which settled on his pained chest soon exploded and immobilised his whole body. All too soon, he was faced by the ghost. The phantom caught sight of Lovino and halted. Despite the pain which burned though his body, our protagonist couldn't help but stare in return. Anri shifted nervously behind Lovino as silence stretched across the home, igniting tension. All too suddenly, Lovino felt his vision blur and touched his cheek, finding it damp as tears streamed down his face. He cursed himself, bad luck and even poor Anri as the pain in his chest exploded. Through the silent, supressed sobs, he grasped his chest which felt as though it was alight. His heartbeat now hammered in his chests and shot aches across his body whist the grip on his chest did nothing to quench the fire which seared him. He coughed in pain and felt his legs buckle as his cough evolved into a fit. His ears rang and his surroundings blended in a typhoon of colour. Through the pain, he was vaguely aware of Anri, whose hells clacked against the floor as she ran toward him and the ghost who seemed paralysed in stress. He heard the clatter of something and as quickly as the pain exploded, it disappeared. His forehead was covered in a thin layer of sweat and his arms shook profusely as he was clasped in a tight embrace.

Lovino, the poor child who had suffered a great deal throughout the day, remained limp and practically clung to his mysterious saviour who whispered vaguely familiar words into his ear.

At that moment, he honestly didn't care. He was gasping for air but breathing none the less- he was alive and that was good enough.

* * *

END.

Hi everyone, I'm sorry for taking so long with this update.

If you were curious, Anri is Belgium.

Stay tuned to find out what becomes of Lovino.


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